ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. He was locked up in a ________________.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. cell — in biology
  3. spell — magic
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. cap — of ice
  8. plane — a tool
  9. cap — a hat
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. spell — letters
  13. dip — to sink
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. cell — a phone
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. cap — a lid
  20. cell — in a prison
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. dip — a sauce

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com